2021 Nano Prep

Oct. 30: - CONTEST ROUND: Plot Background Story ֎

Write a story that sets up your plot.


November 16, 2007, 4 p.m.
Armour Children's Home, Houston, Texas

"Ms. Nelson, why don't you hire lots of janitors?" I asked as I held onto an old mop handle.

"Because we have lots of able-bodied teenagers like you, Angela," replied the woman standing before me. "So, hop to it, young lady. Or there will be no movie for you tonight."

Ms. Nelson turned and walked down the hall leaving me looking down at the rest of the hall I had to finish mopping.

"Probably a stupid kid movie anyway," I said as I dunked the mop into the bucket, making a big splash.


"Angela, dear, there you are," said Doc as he peaked in the doorway. His thinning hair was a mess but otherwise the older gentleman was well dressed. He trudged down the hall toward me.

"Doc! Look at my floor." I held out my hands before me and then pointed at the dusty footprints he left in his wake.

"Oh, dear. I’m so sorry." He looked around his feet and back to me. "I had to find you. It is exciting news. Meet me tomorrow after school. I must finish some documentation tonight, but right after school, okay?"

"Sure, Doc. Sure." I picked up the heavy bucket and mop and headed back down the hall to mop that area again.

Doc followed close behind. He stopped at the doorway, looked down the hall in both directions. He reached out to my shoulder, leaned in and whispered, “It works, Angela. It really works.”

"Okay. That's great, Doc." I focused on dragging the mop over the fine dirt he brought in from the courtyard. "See ya tomorrow."


November 17, 2004, 2 p.m.
McKinek Junior High School, Houston, Texas

I sat in math class coloring a beautiful and complex mandala from art class when there was a quick knock at the door. Everyone looked up as a sheepish boy entered the room carrying a note for the teacher. Our eyes followed him to the desk, then back out the door. We watched her read the note and scan the room for the one that was the subject of the note.

"Ms. Altuve, please take your things and report to the office," said the teacher. She tossed the note in the trash.

"Somebody's in trouble," said a boy from the back of the room.

I tossed my things in my bag and took my leave. I flipped the boy the bird just before I slid out the door.


Ms. Nelson was standing in the office talking to the principal, Mr. McCloud. Neither one of them looked happy. Mr. McCloud had his trademark legs spread, hands on his wide hips and furrowed brow thing going. I wondered what I could have done to warrant this meeting. Mr. McCloud saw me at the door and alerted Ms. Nelson with a tilt of his head, like I wouldn’t notice. They both turned and looked at me. I took a deep breath and entered the office.

After a bit of small talk, Ms. Nelson and I left the office.

"Ms. Nelson, I really don't want to leave Armour. I don't seem to last anywhere very long. I always come back." I quickly rattled through the argument I had rehearsed, took a deep breath and started again. "Please don't make me leave. Who needs a mom and a dad? I like having you as a mom and Doc as a dad. It works for me. Please, Ms. Nelson."

"Angela, you are not going anywhere. We will talk when we get back to my office, okay?" Ms. Nelson walked quickly but would not look at me.

Ms. Nelson's heels were clacking so loud and sharp in the quiet hall that they sounded like a report. Each step was like a knife into my brain. I wanted to cover my ears. Better yet, I wanted to just go back to class. The suspense was unnerving.

Usually going to Ms. Nelson's office did not mean good things. I sat down in the chair I had spent way too much time in over the past six years. I shifted in my seat while I watched Ms. Nelson kick off her heels under her desk and then return to lean up against the front of the desk before me.

"I... I want you to know... just how much you mean to us, Angela." Ms. Nelson looked up and tried to blink away the tears that pooled in her eyes. She carefully touched one that escaped with the tip of her index finger and tried to keep it from running her mascara. "I want you to be able to come to me or any of the counselors day or night."

I sat with my head slightly down and was looking up at Ms. Nelson. I listened for what she wasn’t saying, and I hadn't said a word.

"Angela... Doc..."

I shot to my feet and let out a blood curdling scream into Ms. Nelson's face. "No! No! Don't you say it." I pushed Ms. Nelson away when she tried to reach for me.

I bent over, holding my stomach and screamed "No" as loud as I could. It was as though lava was erupting from within my chest and the only way out was through my mouth. What wasn’t being said was louder than anything she was saying.

"It was a car wreck. He's gone. I'm so sorry," said Ms. Nelson quickly when I took in a deep breath.

"I don't believe you. It's not true." I wailed and threw the chair out of my way as I went for the door.

"Honey, please stay here with me." Ms. Nelson reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me into her grasp.

"Don't touch me. I hate you." I continued to roar and struggle against her hands. I slid down onto the floor into a heap. I had no strength left to stand. I ran my fingers into my hair, grabbing handfuls and using my palms to cover my ears.

Ms. Nelson knelt beside me and ran her hand across my heaving back. I felt smothered and bolted from the floor, threw open the door, and ran down the hall.

I ran out into the courtyard and headed toward the small opening between two of the buildings. I fished a necklace from my shirt and pulled it over my head. I slipped on the gravel that edged the alley but somehow made the turn to the back side of the dormitory. I took the key on the necklace and tried to slide it into the lock.

"Oh, come on!" I yelled when I could not get it to cooperate.

I slipped into the small room which was Doc's workshop. I closed the door and slid a large metal rod in place to lock myself safely in the room. I shuffled in the narrow area behind the small desk, nudged the chair aside, and pushed the wooden desk forward with a shove. I dropped to my knees, my breaths ragged from sobbing, and leaned on the far side of one of the wooden floorboards. It popped up just enough that I could grab the other end and remove it. Inside, I pulled a well-used wooden box from the hiding space.

I slid the floorboard back into place and curled up on the dirty floor beneath the desk with the box clutched against my body.

"You left me, you bastard. You left me." My body convulsed with each heaving sob.
There was a knock on the door, but I did not stir.

"I know you are in there," said Ms. Nelson through the crack of the door. "That's okay. Stay there for now."

Ms. Nelson continued to speak, but I turned inward, focused on my own heartbeat and cried softly. I wanted to world to go away.


I guess I must have rolled onto my back, elbowed the back leg of the desk as I woke startled. I squinted and rubbed my elbow, unsure as to how long I had been sleeping. I looked at the underside of the desk, and as the realization of where I was set in, so did the tears. It wasn’t a bad dream.

I roughly swiped at the tears that spilled into my ears. I rolled over and scooted on the gritty floor and climbed from beneath the desk. I took the box and pulled the chair up to the desk. I sat staring at the wooden box.

"It works, Angela. It really works." Doc's words played over and over in my head.

I took the box in my hands and rubbed the heads of the little tacks that held the metal corner protectors on the box.

"If it works, there's only one thing to do.” I said my peace, opened the box, took out the notebook and began reading.


Angela Altuve
November 17, 2007, 1 a.m.
Doc's house, Houston, Texas

I pulled my hoodie over my head and came from behind the neighbor's house. I looked around and saw only a fat cat patrolling the alley that lead to the rear driveways and garages of the older middle-class homes of the Bellaire area of Houston. I stood in the shadows and listened. A dog barked, but it wasn't nearby. I pulled my trusty pocket watch from the pocket of my jeans. I could barely see the illuminated hands, but I could see enough to tell that it was just after one in the morning. I was amazingly in the past. It was this morning again.

I pulled the knife out of my back pocket and pried the blade from its folded position. I darted across the alleyway and up into Doc's driveway. His late model Chrysler sat facing the alley. I squatted near the rear tire and gripped the old knife. I looked around one last time. I could smell the rubber from the tires. I took in a deep breath and pressed the blade against the tire. The tip barely entered the hard rubber. I grasped the knife and pushed with my weight. The knife entered the tire but still had not flattened the tire. I fought to wiggle the knife deeper into the tire and finally heard the escaping air. The hissing sounded so loud. I twisted the knife to try to make the hole bigger. I wiggled the knife out of the tire and listened to the night sounds before I tackled one more tire. I thought about flattening all four, but two would certainly do the trick given I only had the old pocketknife and doing four would take too much time and increase the chances I could be caught.


I unlocked the workshop and slipped into the small room. It was after two in the morning and I needed to get back to my room before someone noticed I was missing.

I dug Doc's box out of my backpack and sat it on the desk. I flipped the two metal clasps and pushed the lid open. I removed the notebook and set it aside. I peered inside at a device about the size of a paperback book.

"What have I done?" I rubbed my hands over my face and eyes. I was bone tired and getting sleepy. I repacked the box and with it safely tucked in it’s hiding place beneath the desk, I headed to my room.

I pushed the dining hall window open and climbed in. I made my way down the hall in my socks trying to make the least amount of noise as I made my way to my room. I didn't have a roommate right now, which worked to my advantage when arriving at this hour.


"I just have a migraine, Ms. Nelson. I don't need to go to the nurse. I just want to sleep," I said softly. I had cocooned myself by tucking the sheet around my whole body and refused to budge as I was about to relive today once more.

Ms. Nelson stood beside my bed. I imaged she stood with her arms crossed and staring at the hump beneath the sheet.

"Angela, I don't believe you for one second. I don't know what's going on, but everyone needs a day off, so I am going to give this one to you. Get some rest and when you are feeling better, I will expect to see you up and around."

"Okay," I croaked from beneath the sheet.

"Oh, stop it, or I will make you go see the nurse." Ms. Nelson shook her curly red locks, turned and walked out of my room.

I stuck an arm out from under the safety of the sheet, groped around on my nightstand until I found my pocket watch. I slipped my hand back under the sheet clasping the timepiece and secured the sheet back into the cocoon that shielded me from life.
"9:12? That's all?" I shoved the watch under my pillow and imagined the tiny wheels, gears and springs creating the ticks of each second that passed as I waited for class to end. Repeating the same day was horrible.

I closed my eyes and tried to rest as I did really have a bit of a headache. I tucked my arm under the pillow and played with the links on the watch chain.


I sat in the small library working on my mandala. I couldn't stand being cooped up in my room any longer. It felt so hard for to breathe. I glanced at the watch on the table. It was almost 4 p.m. and I was terrified. That burning feeling in my chest was starting again.

"Good lord, child. I have been looking everywhere for you. Did you forget we had an appointment?" Doc pulled his watch from his vest pocket at the same instance that I crashed into him and nearly knocked him over.

I hugged him with everything I had. He patted me on the top of the head.




Oct. 30: - CONTEST ROUND: Plot Background Story ▼

Write a story that sets up your plot. EXAMPLE: The Lord of the Rings story revolves around the One Ring, its significance, and how it's destroyed. But how did Frodo get the One Ring in the first place? We learn that in The Hobbit. You obviously can't write a full-scale novel in 15 minutes, but you could write the scene where Bilbo encounters Gollum and stumbles across the ring. That would be a background story that sets up the plot in Lord of the Rings.

*Contest Round entries may be any rating. Follow these instructions ("IMPORTANT: How to compete in a Contest Round") by 1200 noon WDC time on Sunday to compete. WDC time is New York City time and can be found at the top of the IM Console. If you miss this deadline or choose not to compete, you must still log the assignment complete (without linking your work) for the grand prize, per the standard Prep guidelines.